25K Workers At Major NorCal Grocery Chain Poised To Strike: Reports

PLEASANTON, CA — Thousands of Safeway and workers could strike starting Friday night if a deal is not reached between management and the union representing workers, according to reports.

If a deal is not reached, Safeway supermarkets all over Northern California may not be open Saturday morning, union leader Jim Araby told ABC7 News. According to Araby, chief negotiators from three local unions representing thousands of supermarket workers set a Friday midnight deadline and are currently negotiating for higher wages and better benefits..

"Early in the morning the next day, [picket] lines will be up if a deal is not reached," Araby told ABC7 News.

“We don’t want to strike, but if they keep stalling, we’re ready,” Jacques Loveall, the president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 8 said in a video posted Tuesday morning. “It’s been 30 years since we’ve had to seriously consider a work stoppage, and it’s truly a shame.”

“We remain committed to productive, good-faith negotiations with the UFCW locals in Northern California," Albertsons, the parent company of Safeway, said in a statement. " We have scheduled bargaining sessions this week and continue to work with a federal mediator. While we are disappointed that the Unions have indicated the possibility of a strike at some of our stores, we fully respect our associates' right to engage in collective bargaining.”

“We are hopeful a resolution will be reached soon, as we have in other parts of the country through successful collaboration with our union partners to secure agreements that recognize and reward our dedicated associates while supporting the company's ongoing growth.”

Workers picketed outside a Safeway in Pleasant Hill last week, union leaders said, and more picketing could occur if a deal is not reached.

Meanwhile, it appears that some Safeway stores are prepared to pay much more generous wages to outside workers in the event of a strike. According to reports in The Times-Standard and ABC-7 News, a flier outside a Safeway store in Burlingame advertised $27 an hour for temporary work.

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